Sorry folks for those who do read my reviews but with the recent untimely death of my great friend and filmmaker Maddie Deering on June 13th I went offline for some time to take care of some things. I promise you the reviews and news will start back up again. Maddie you will be missed my dear friend.
Wally Meets Popeye (DVD) – So leave it to the talented Indy filmmaker Steve Rudzinski to decide a fourth Popeye movie was needed in 2025! Wally Griswald returns in this feature where he has won another trip but this time to the island of… Ohio? If you are a fan of Steve’s work you know the Wally character has been through a lot including Amityville (which there is a quick joke or two thrown in at the beginning). If you don’t know of Steve’s great filmography and like me must watch all the Popeye films, buckle up kids because this plays out like a live action old Scooby-Doo adventure without the dog and the gang! Wally excited for another free trip that somehow he has randomly won finds himself back on the detective job because of a green monster that has scared everyone away from the tropical island of Ohio. Years ago the same thing happened and the monster suddenly disappeared with help of an outsider. Now Steve and his buddy Rick who also just happens to be vacationing on the island need the help from the island’s famous sailor man Popeye. Popeye knowing of the monster has led him to convince the love of his life Olive Oyl to jump on his boat and travel to the other side of the island once he fixes it? Popeye knows all about this “Dawn Monster” legend because it keeps running away from him during fights. Its clear Popeye and the two detectives must team up to stop the reign of terror! Clarence Seybert III as Popeye and Carly Sonafelt Olive Oyl was some of the best casting of an Indy feature I have seen in years as their chemistry and handle of the characters jumps off the screen. Also there is this hilarious off script or maybe on script rant in the middle of the film between Wally and Rick that had me in almost tears laughing. Steve and crew made sure this tight low budget feature didn’t overstay its welcome, was an ass load of fun, entertaining as hell, and made sure its main characters Popeye and Olive were beyond exceptional so thanks to Steve not just continuing the “Wally” universe but giving another reason why Indy film fans should pay attention to the excellent work Mr. Rudzinski continues to do as I give this exciting project 3 ½ out of 4 stars.
Well had some terrible news today that I never expected and sure quite a few of you in the Pittsburgh horror scene were as surprised as I was to learn Mario died yesterday. I never know what to say about things like this but Mario was a one of a kind person and I absolutely felt honored that Mario considered me a friend. His family is wonderful and I am still in shock of this news. R.I.P. Mario you will be missed big time my friend!
Nene’s Soaps
Nekroshark Films
Burghbrats Krafty Kreations
Melissa Sapienza-Garrett
Classy Crows
Lowell Squires
Sam Hice Art
Ultra Violent
Lisa Neeld
Cheevies Film Productions
Chase Will
Nomad Comics
MMH Productions
Kiss of Death Productions
RJR Craft Labs
13 Occult
Secondhand Spooky
Forever Entertainment
Video Nasty Productions
Clifton Taylor
Celebration of Spirits
1282 Productions
Loretta Lynn Chambers
Steve Livengood
Static Talent/Matt Chasin/Michael Coulombe
Dandylinn
Dazed N Disorderly
Drunken Yinzers Productions
JAB Productions
Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025
Location:
Comfort Inn Conference Center
699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235
To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6
Tickets for admission: $10 for one day or $15 for both days.
Vendor, movie, and tattoo room hours:
(Again no one under 18 will be allowed to get a tattoo so please don’t ask. Also you will need a Grossfest wristband in order to make your appointment with Angel the tattoo artist.)
August 1st, Friday 4-10pm
August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm
(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)
For show info: www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.
(We wanna thank ahead of time the great guests, the awesome vendors, and of course the people that will attend, thank yinz all for making this happen and supporting Independent horror)
Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025
Location:
Comfort Inn Conference Center
699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235
To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this group link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6
Tickets for admission: $10 for one day or $15 for both days at the door. (Yes we are lazy n’at)
Vendor, movie, and tattoo room hours:
(Again no one under 18 will be allowed to get a tattoo so please don’t ask. Also you will need a Grossfest wristband in order to make your appointment with Angel the tattoo artist.)
August 1st, Friday 4-10pm
August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm
(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)
For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.
(Complete Vendor list is coming and yes we are sold out)
(Movie list is coming along and will be posted July 4th weekend)
Yes, there will be a band “13 Occult” playing 7pm on back patio on Saturday after Grossfest 2025 closes! https://www.facebook.com/13occultMusic
Grossfest 2025 guest list:
The Mummy and The Monkey (Saturday only)
Mark Polonia
Jeff Kirkendall
Jamie Morgan
Tim Hatch
Jessa Flux
Mel Heflin
Phil Herman
Steve Rudzinski
Aleen Isley
Morrigan Thompson-Milam
The official Grossfest tattoo artist and all around coolest horror movie fan ever to exist Angel O’Connor!
Special guest – Jason Burke
Check out this cool event that I will be at promoting Grossfest 2025 and selling some Indy DVDs for $5!
Vendor market show featuring physical media to buy, sell, or trade.
Vendors and collectors selling: VHS & Beta Video Tapes; Laser Discs, CED Discs & DVDs; Vinyl Records & Cassette Tapes; CRT (tube) TVs; VCRs; Vintage Stereo Equipment.
Admission is only $5 at the door. Early Bird admission is $10 and begins at 10:00AM! Children 12 and under are free with accompanying adult. Tickets are sold at the door.
Our venue is
Monroeville Mall
Time and Space Event Space
200 Mall Blvd
Monroeville, PA 15046
Time 11-5pm
The Event Space is located on the JC Penney/ Dick’s end of the mall, upper level, across from Victoria’s Secret. Vendors will be inside of our new single large event 10,000 sq ft venue.
Free parking at the mall.
Vendor Spaces available at $50 a space at www.TimeandSpaceToys.com
Thought we would give yinz an inside look of someone who is joining Grossfest 2025 to be a part of our little convention to network, sell movies, and much more. This person might be the busiest individual we have ever had at our convention as they have worked behind the scenes on hundreds of projects! So many to list that the only other list that might be longer is Danny Trejo or Santa Claus… as it goes on forever (but we will supply yinz with a link to check it out). But more recently this person has spread their wings into directing, writing, and even a poetry book. This wonderful talent is not just a great addition for us but this person is just as excited to be a part of something different they have been hearing good things about and knew they had to be there to be a part of it. They have worked on: One-Eyed Monster, The Dog Who Saved Halloween, The Contractor, The Monster Project, Grandma’s Cookies, and Dark Lullabies. With great excitement we like to introduce yinz to a kind and personable soul who loves Indy cinema like all of us… Michael Coulombe!
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2525575/?ref_=nmbio_ov
Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025
Location:
Comfort Inn Conference Center
699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235
To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6
August 1st, Friday 4-10pm
August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm
(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)
For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.
Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.
Just when yinz thought we at Grossfest were done? Nope, we have one more! This person isn’t just another pretty face as their presence is beyond invaluable in front of the camera and behind. When they are not producing a film or ramping up to write more scripts they also do some local (Pittsburgh area) theater work. Ever since they showed up for an audition for a 2012 independent favorite called ‘Everyone Must Die!’ you knew they would be undeniably one of the brightest stars to ever grace the no budget screen. They might be known for such titles as: The Meowy movie series, Shingles: The Movie, and Head Case but what shows off their talent the most with little effort in all phases of filmmaking is their work with the CarousHell trilogy, Amityville Christmas Vacation (one of our favs), and Curtains For Christmas. This talent is so damn good and sweet they allowed themselves to be filmed in a segment for the anthology ‘Tales from the Gross Side’! We are always happy to see them but never been more excited to introduce them… We like to introduce all of yinz to one of the friendliest and hardest working talents in the independent scene… Aleen Isley!!!
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5293605/…
Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025
Location:
Comfort Inn Conference Center
699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235
To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6
August 1st, Friday 4-10pm
August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm
(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)
For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.
Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.
Oh Grossfest fans we got one more for yinz to meet, enjoy, and have fun chatting with in August at Grossfest 2025. This person has taken an interesting path to get where they are as they are out of the state of New York. I would say they are a fresh face to the genre but they have done so much in a short span of time in front of the camera as an actor and behind the camera also that it makes you wonder when this awesome talent has had time to sleep. You may know this impressive talent in such films: She Kills, It Kills, Frozen Sasquatch, House Squatch, Cocaine Werewolf, and more shark films than Maddie Deering (the shark film expert) could imagine! A lot of yinz Indy fans will quite enjoy this major staple in and around Polonia Brothers Entertainment allow us to introduce yinz to the super cool Jamie Morgan!
Go check out her work at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5840110/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_0_nm_8_in_0_q_Jamie%2520Morgan
Grossfest August 1st & 2nd, 2025
Location:
Comfort Inn Conference Center
699 Rodi Road, Pittsburgh, PA, 15235
To book a hotel room for Grossfest 2025 you can use this link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/YB53X6
August 1st, Friday 4-10pm
August 2nd, Saturday 11-7pm
(Movies and/or panels will be announced closer to the show)
For show info: http://www.grossfest.com or go to our Grossfest Facebook group or event page.
Vendor tables are $100 each and come with two passes contact grossfest@gmail.com for vendor application and how to pay.
grossmoviereviews 
You must be logged in to post a comment.